It's Hot Outside -- Drinking Water Will Keep Your Child Hydrated and Their Teeth Healthy

Check out this article in Dentistry IQ about the warning that CSHM-associated dentists issued to parents regarding sports and energy drinks.

With temperatures soaring across the country, it is important to keep kids who are playing outdoors hydrated. But, with more and more parents and caregivers turning to sports and energy drinks, parents should be aware of the risks associated with these drinks. Sports and energy drinks often contain citric acid -- a highly erosive ingredient that can eat away at tooth enamel. The risks of these drinks were recently highlighted in a study published in the June issue of the American Academy of Pediatrics Journal, Pediatrics.

“As children of all ages engage in outdoor activities during the summer, there is a growing tendency toward the consumption of sports and energy drinks instead of water,” said Dr. Steve Adair of CSHM. “The Academy’s advice to parents on this issue is clear. Encourage your kids to drink water instead of acidic, high-carb drinks that may increase the risk of tooth decay.”

The report stated that dental erosion from sports and energy drinks are “of concern” in children and adolescents, and pointed to a common ingredient – citric acid – that is “highly erosive” because it continues to eat away at tooth enamel even after a drink containing citric acid has been consumed.

Among the AAP’s recommendations were the following:

• That parents should be informed that routine ingestion of carbohydrate-containing sports drinks by children and adolescents should be avoided or restricted.

• Awareness should be raised among children, parents and educators that sports drink intake can lead to excessive caloric consumption and an increased risk of obesity and dental erosion.

• Water, not sports or energy drinks, should be aggressively promoted as the principal source of hydration for children and adolescents.

How to Keep Kids Teeth Healthy

An article in the Los Angeles Times, with insights from the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, discusses how to keep your child's teeth healthy.

With kids home for the summer, now is a good time to establish dental routines like brushing twice a day, flossing and scheduling regular visits to the dentist.

Visit the link to read more about how you can keep your child's teeth healthy at home and be sure to schedule an appointment for a check-up with your child's dentist.

Worcester Dental Office Offers Needed Services

When 8-year-old Zulanihs Huertas walked into Straight Smiles, she said she wasn’t scared and she thought the clinic “was pretty cool.”

After her dental scan, she picked out a toy folding fan for herself and one for her sister.

Zulanihs was among the children and their parents who attended the opening this week of Straight Smiles, an orthodontics clinic at 388 Park Ave. that serves those on the MassHealth health care plan. The clinic specializes in care of children’s teeth and is an offshoot of Small Smiles, a dental clinic for children in the Worcester area.

Free dental screenings were provided during the Straight Smiles grand opening.

“We focus our care on children who are uninsured and come from low-income families. We accept patients who do not have insurance as well as those who are on MassHealth,” said Dr. Angeline Y. Chan, lead orthodontist at Straight Smiles.

Lower-income and uninsured children often don’t get access to the care they need, said Dr. Chan. But the number of dentists and orthodontists in the Massachusetts Dental Society who accept patients who are uninsured or on MassHealth has risen in recent years. As of May, the MDS had 1,305 dentists accepting patients with MassHealth. Last year, the MDS had 1,254 members participating in MassHealth.

Within the Worcester district, 141 members, or 42 percent, accept patients with MassHealth, according to Scott G. Davis, chief communications officer of the Massachusetts Dental Society. “We’ve been able to nearly double the number of MassHealth dental providers statewide over the past few years as a result of the MDS’ active recruitment efforts,” said Mr. Davis.

MassHealth, which provides health insurance to more than 1 million people in Massachusetts, is a necessity, according to state Sen. Harriette L. Chandler, D-Worcester. Many low-income or uninsured children rely on the program for oral care, she said.

“If we don’t provide oral health for a child at an early age, all kinds of problems can begin. The mouth is the window to the rest of the body,” Ms. Chandler said.

According to Dr. Chan, Zulanihs had a loose tooth and small signs of a posterior cross bite. Although she was not ready for braces, interceptive treatment would widen the upper arch of her palette, said Dr. Chan.

“If this wasn’t found or not acted upon, it could result in trauma as well as recession of her lower anterior teeth,” she said.

Some procedures performed at Straight Smiles include being fitted for braces as well as treating impacted teeth. Dr. Chan said the clinic would not be able to treat cases of a cleft lip or cleft palate because of their complicated nature.

Dr. Kevin M. Reilly, senior vice president of operations at Straight Smiles, said Straight Smiles was created because of space problems at Small Smiles, which was serving about 80 children a day. Straight Smiles handles the orthodontic-based work that was once done at Small Smiles.

Regular Dental Visits Can Prevent Tooth Decay, Emergency Room Visits

A recent article in The Journal of Evidenced-Based Dental Practice points to the high costs associated with emergency room visits caused by tooth decay among our nation’s children.

Despite the fact that tooth decay is preventable through proper oral hygiene and a healthy diet, one study found that in the course of one year more than more than 165,000 children landed in the emergency room due to this condition. The costs associated with this phenomenon are staggering — at least $55 million per year. Most visits occurred among the uninsured, and Medicaid was the most common payer for cases involving children, at a cost of about $300 per child.

Needless to say, prevention is less painful and expensive than an emergency room visit to treat a severe case of tooth decay. For organizations like Small Smiles that treat children on Medicaid, the cost is much lower — and it helps overall that opportunities arise daily in Small Smiles dental centers to educate parents and children about proper care.

That’s why dental professionals who serve low-income communities should continue to stress the importance of healthy habits at home and regular visits to the dentist’s office. This course will continue to ease the pressure on the nation’s emergency rooms, keep health care costs down and ensure that dental problems for children never get so severe that they wind up in the ER.

Access to caregivers who serve kids on Medicaid is another issue highlighted by this study. Given that Medicaid is only accepted by 25% of all dentists nationwide, some families may feel they have no other choice than to visit the emergency room. Making families aware of the providers that do accept Medicaid should be a health care priority for the dental profession and our communities as well.

Dr. Edwards from Small Smiles of Atlanta Discusses Dental Care for Kids on Good Day Atlanta

Check out Dr. Amesha Edwards from Small Smiles of Atlanta discussing the importance of good oral health care for kids on Good Day Atlanta!

Getting Kids into Good Oral Hygiene: MyFoxATLANTA.com

Small Smiles of Washington, D.C. Celebrates Its Grand Opening

Small Smiles of Washington, D.C. is proud to open its second center, located at 3946 Minnesota Avenue, NE.

In the photo, Dr. Presson and Dr. Sprott participate in a ribbon cutting with elected officials, community leaders and staff members to celebrate the grand opening.

Texas Smiles of San Antonio Celebrates Grand Opening!

Earlier this month, Texas Smiles of San Antonio celebrated its grand opening.

The dental center offered free dental screenings for the community as well as tours and an open house for community leaders, community oral health partners and elected officials.

Rep. Jose Menendez and Councilman David Medina participated in a ribbon cutting with Dr. Yolanda, Dr. Bishoy and the Texas Smiles staff.